The invention relates to a method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for detecting autonomously operated vehicles. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for distance measurement. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for distance measurement. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for distance control. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for distance control. Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program and to a computer program product.
In the future, vehicles will be operated autonomously more and more frequently. In this context, autonomously means, in particular, that a vehicle navigates free of human assistance, in particular free of human assistance by a vehicle driver. The more frequently a vehicle driver has to intervene in the control of the vehicle, the less autonomously the respective vehicle is operated.
WO 2009/068128 A1 discloses a method for distance regulation for a vehicle and a distance regulating system in which a first vehicle intermediate distance is determined as a distance between the vehicle and a first third-party vehicle travelling ahead of the vehicle, and is regulated to a predefineable setpoint distance.
WO 01/20362 A1 discloses a device which determines, as a function of velocity, a setpoint distance or a setpoint time gap relating to a vehicle travelling ahead. During the determination of the setpoint distance or the setpoint time gap, a distance regulation system takes into account a minimum distance which can be predefined by the driver or a predefineable minimum time gap.
WO 09027244 A1 discloses a method and a device for detecting the traffic situation in the surroundings of a vehicle, in which method and device vehicle movement dynamics data of the vehicle in question are determined by way of a sensor system in the vehicle in question and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication is set up with other vehicles which are to be involved in the determination.
EP 1 569 183 A2 discloses a system for performing open-loop and/or closed-loop control of at least one, preferably autonomous, driver assistance system, in particular a plurality thereof, each assigned to at least one means of locomotion, in particular each assigned to at least one motor vehicle. The driver assistance systems can be subjected to an open-loop and/or closed-loop control by way of data and/or instructions which can be exchanged between the driver assistance systems and at least one central station, in particular at least one central computer, via at least one, in particular, wireless communication network.
The object on which the invention is based is to detect autonomously operated vehicles from the outside.
This and objects are achieved by a method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles, in which a motion trajectory of a first vehicle is determined, and an autonomy characteristic value which is representative of whether the first vehicle has been detected as being operated autonomously or non-autonomously, is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory.
According to a first aspect, the invention is distinguished by a method for distance measurement. The invention is furthermore characterized by a system which corresponds to the method for distance measurement.
A motion trajectory of a first vehicle is determined. An autonomy characteristic value, which is representative of whether the first vehicle has been detected as being operated autonomously or non-autonomously, is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory.
As a result, non-autonomous vehicles can be differentiated from autonomously operated vehicles, in particular without communication having to take place with the first vehicle. It is therefore easily possible to detect from outside the first vehicle whether the first vehicle is being operated autonomously or non-autonomously. The motion trajectory is, in particular, representative of a movement path of the first vehicle here.
According to one advantageous configuration, a first distance profile for a second vehicle which is driving in front of the first vehicle is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory. The autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of the first distance profile.
By means of the actual first distance profile for the second vehicle which is driving in front of the first vehicle it is, under certain circumstances, easily and reliably possible to determine whether the first vehicle is driving autonomously or not, since particularly during the distance regulation it can be easily detected whether the driver of the vehicle, who is a human, is navigating the first vehicle.
According to one advantageous configuration, a lane-keeping profile of the first vehicle is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory. The autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of the lane-keeping profile.
Particularly in the case of lane keeping, under certain circumstances the driver of a vehicle reacts differently than an autonomously operated vehicle. Therefore, it can easily be detected on the basis of the lane-keeping profile whether the driver of the vehicle steers the first vehicle, therefore also whether the first vehicle is operated autonomously or non-autonomously. In particular if the autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of the first distance profile and as a function of the lane-keeping profile, the autonomy characteristic value can be determined very reliably.
According to a further advantageous configuration, a second distance profile of the first vehicle with respect to a sensor unit is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory. The sensor unit is arranged outside the first vehicle and is designed to generate a measurement signal, wherein the motion trajectory is determined as a function of the measurement signal. The autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of the second distance profile. The sensor unit is arranged, in particular, in a stationary fashion outside the first vehicle.
In particular, by way of the second distance profile it is possible, under certain circumstances, to detect very simply whether the driver of the vehicle is navigating the first vehicle.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of a detection of atypical values in the motion trajectory.
In particular, if more than one predefined maximum number of atypical values is detected and/or if an atypical value is higher than a predefined maximum atypical value, under certain circumstances it can be inferred that the driver of the vehicle is navigating the vehicle and that the vehicle is therefore being operated non-autonomously. The atypical values are optionally detected directly in the first distance profile and/or the lane-keeping profile and/or the second distance profile.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of a frequency analysis of the motion trajectory.
In particular, if the motion trajectory is more angular, that is to say has a very large number of frequency components, it can therefore be inferred, for example, that, under certain circumstances, the driver of the vehicle is navigating the vehicle. Optionally, a frequency analysis of the first distance profile and/or of the lane-keeping profile and/or of the second distance-keeping profile is carried out directly.
According to a further advantageous configuration, subsequent to reception of an autonomy information item from outside the first vehicle, which autonomy information item is representative of whether the first vehicle is being operated autonomously or non-autonomously, the autonomy characteristic value is determined as a function of the autonomy information item.
As a result, the autonomy characteristic value can be very reliably validated or protected with the result that even more reliable determination of the autonomy characteristic value is possible. The autonomy information is transmitted, for example, by the first vehicle and/or by a backend, wherein the backend is designed to receive, transmit and process data, in particular data which relates to the autonomy information of the first vehicle.
According to a second aspect, the invention is distinguished by a method for distance measurement. The invention is furthermore distinguished by a system which corresponds to the method for distance measurement. The method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles is carried out according to the first aspect or an advantageous configuration of the first aspect. A distance of the first vehicle from the second vehicle which is driving in front of the first vehicle is determined. A distance threshold value is determined as a function of the autonomy characteristic value, specifically in such a way that if the first vehicle has been detected as being operated autonomously, the distance threshold value is lower than if the first vehicle has been detected as being operated non-autonomously. It is determined whether the determined distance is less than the determined distance threshold value. If the determined distance is less than the determined distance threshold value, an information item in this respect is stored.
The determination of the distance threshold value and the determination of the distance are carried out, in particular, outside the first vehicle, for example in a stationary unit and/or in the backend.
The information item which is stored in this respect includes, for example, the determined distance and/or a difference between the determined distance and the determined distance threshold value and/or whether the first vehicle has been detected as being operated autonomously or non-autonomously. The information item alternatively or additionally includes, for example, a recorded image of the driver of the vehicle and/or the speed of the first vehicle and/or a detected license plate of the first vehicle.
By use of the stored information it is possible to signal, for example, to the police or the like that the first vehicle is at the determined distance which is less than the determined distance threshold value which corresponds, for example, to a legal maximum distance. Furthermore, it is possible, for example if the vehicle has been detected as being autonomous, to inform the manufacturer of the first vehicle about the incident by way of the stored information.
According to a further advantageous configuration, an autonomy message which includes the autonomy information is transmitted on the vehicle side from the first vehicle.
According to one advantageous configuration, the autonomy message is transmitted periodically on the vehicle side by the first vehicle.
The autonomy message can therefore be transmitted, in particular, within the scope of a standardized, periodically emitted message such as, for example, what is referred to as a Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM), for example according to the standard “ETSI TS 102 637-3 V1.2.1 (2011-03), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS); Vehicular Communications; Basic Set of Applications; Part 2: Specification of Cooperative Awareness Basic Service” and/or what is referred to as a Basic Safety Message (BSM), for example according to the standard “SAE J2735, Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC) Message Set Dictionary”.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy message is transmitted on the vehicle side by the first vehicle in response to a request which has been transmitted to the first vehicle from outside the first vehicle.
As a result, the transmission of the autonomy message can be implemented without adapting standards.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the request is signed outside the first vehicle by means of a certificate. As a result, in particular the security of the communication can be increased from outside the first vehicle.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy message is signed on the vehicle side by the first vehicle by means of a certificate. As a result, in particular the security of the communication can be increased on the vehicle side.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy message is verified outside the first vehicle by way of a challenge-response method. As a result, in particular the security of the communication can be increased from outside the first vehicle. The challenge-response method is distinguished, in particular, by the fact that a task is transmitted to the first vehicle from outside the first vehicle, which task has to be performed in order to prove that the predefined information item is known in the first vehicle, without transmitting this information itself.
According to a further advantageous configuration, the autonomy message includes the autonomy information in encrypted form, and the encrypted autonomy information is decrypted outside the first vehicle.
As a result, in particular the private sphere of the driver of the first vehicle can be protected.
According to a further advantageous configuration, a plausibility signal of the autonomy information is determined as a function of at least one bus signal in the first vehicle. If the determined plausibility is representative of a probable manipulation of the autonomy information item, a plausibility signal is transmitted on the vehicle side from the first vehicle. In response to the plausibility signal, the autonomy characteristic value is determined outside the first vehicle as a function of the plausibility signal.
As a result, the reliability of the determined autonomy characteristic value can be increased, since the plausibility signal can, under certain circumstances, be undetected only with great difficulty.
According to a third aspect, the invention is distinguished by a method for distance control in a third vehicle which is driving behind the first vehicle. The invention is furthermore distinguished by a system for distance control which corresponds to the method for distance control. The method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles is carried out according to the first aspect or according to an advantageous configuration of the first aspect. A distance from the third vehicle to the first vehicle is set as a function of the autonomy characteristic value.
As a result, in a vehicle which is driving behind the first vehicle it is possible to set the distance depending on whether the first vehicle is being operated autonomously or non-autonomously, with the result that, for example if the first vehicle has been detected as being operated autonomously, a shorter distance can be set than if the first vehicle has been detected as being operated non-autonomously.
According to one advantageous configuration, a manufacturer and/or a model designation of the first vehicle are/is determined. At least one parameter for a distance control is determined as a function of the determined manufacturer and/or the determined model designation. The distance from the third vehicle to the first vehicle is set as a function of the at least one determined parameter.
The parameter is stored here, in particular, in a database. As a result, it is possible, for example, to adopt various regulation settings of autonomously operated vehicles of various manufacturers, with the result that the travel of the third vehicle is adapted to the first vehicle.
According to a further advantageous configuration, a parameter for distance control is determined as a function of the determined motion trajectory, and the distance from the third vehicle to the first vehicle is set as a function of the at least one determined parameter.
As a result, the distance can be adapted even for vehicles whose manufacturer and/or whose model designation could not be determined and/or for which there is no parameter present. In this context, it is, in particular, additionally possible to determine, by way of crowd sourcing and/or by the backend, a driver profile for determining the at least one parameter.
According to a further advantageous configuration, in the case of a predefined emergency situation, the distance from the third vehicle to the first vehicle is set in response to detection of the predefined emergency situation.
For this purpose, for example, information relating to the predefineable emergency situation is transmitted by the first vehicle. The information relates, for example, to brief, fully autonomous operation of the first vehicle, with the objective of a safe stationary state of the first vehicle in the predefined emergency situation. The emergency situation includes, for example, a critical driver state if it has been detected that the respective driver of the vehicle is no longer able to control the first vehicle safely, for example owing to a heart attack. The emergency situation alternatively or additionally includes, for example, the situation in which the first vehicle is in an autonomous or partially autonomous mode and this mode can no longer be maintained, for example owing to a faulty vehicle state and a driver of the vehicle who cannot assume control, or for example cannot do so within the necessary time.
Since in the case of an emergency situation of this type an autonomous regulating system of the respective vehicle does not, under certain circumstances, react as in a normal operating mode, as a result the distance can be set particularly reliably.
The detection of the emergency situation is carried out, for example, by way of wireless communication with the first vehicle, during which communication, a message is transmitted from the first vehicle. The message comprises, for example, a reason such as, for example, the driver state and/or the faulty vehicle state, a driving strategy of the respective vehicle such as, for example, path planning for the steering and/or speed.
The detection of the emergency situation is alternatively or additionally carried out, for example, by detecting a predefined signal of the first vehicle. The predefined signal is generated, for example, by way of exterior lighting and/or a horn, and includes, for example, warning sounds and/or light signals, for example in a predefined sequence such as three short, three long, three short warning sounds and/or light signals.
According to a further aspect, the invention is distinguished by a computer program, wherein the computer program is designed to carry out the method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles or an advantageous configuration of the method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles, the method for distance measurement or an advantageous configuration of the method for distance measurement, the method for distance control or an advantageous configuration of the method for distance control, on a data processing device.
According to a further aspect, the invention is distinguished by a computer program product which comprises executable program code, wherein when the program code is executed by a data processing device, it executes the method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles or an advantageous configuration of the method for detecting autonomously operated vehicles; the method for distance measurement or an advantageous configuration of the method for distance measurement; and/or the method for distance control or an advantageous configuration of the method for distance control.
The computer program product comprises, in particular, a medium which can be read by the data processing device and on which the program code is stored.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Elements with identical design or function are characterized with the same reference symbols in all the figures.